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Tag Archives: homework

How To Make Sure Homework Really Helps (a.k.a.: “Retrieval Practice Fails”)
Most research focuses narrowly on just a few questions. For instance: “Does mindful meditation help 5th grade students reduce anxiety?” “How many instructions overwhelm college students’ working memory?” “Do quizzes improve attention when students learn from online videos?” Very occasionally,

Possible Selves in STEM: Helping Students See Themselves as Scientists
Why don’t more students sign up for STEM classes, and enter STEM careers? Could we increase the number, and the diversity within that group? Researchers in California came up with a simple strategy: one that offered powerful results. Here’s the

Research Summary: The Best and Worst Highlighting Strategies
Does highlighting help students learn? As is so often the case, the answer is: it depends. The right kind of highlighting can help. But, the wrong kind doesn’t help. (And, might hurt.) And, most students do the wrong kind. Today’s
Posted in L&B Blog
Tagged boundary conditions, classroom advice, homework, long-term memory
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“Wait Just a Minute!”: The Benefits of Procrastination?
“A year from now, you’ll wish you had started today.” This quotation, attributed to Karen Lamb, warns us about the dangers of procrastination. Presumably our students would propose a slightly modified version: “The night before the test, I’ll wish I

New Year, New Habits: More Learning!
When the school year starts back up in January, teachers would LOVE to use this fresh start for good. In particular, our students might have developed some counter-productive habits during the first half of the year. Wouldn’t it be great

The Great Homework Debate: Working Memory Disadvantage?
New research into working memory might give teachers fresh perspective in the great homework debate. Well-designed homework might make new words and concepts easier to learn, because the right kind of practice can reduce differences between high- and low-working-memory students. Continue reading

Should Mothers Help Children With Homework?
According to a new study in Finland, a mother’s homework help might reduce her child’s feelings of autonomy and competence. For this reason, even well-intentioned help might reduce a child’s motivation–at least in 2nd and 3rd grades. Continue reading

Homework Improves Conscientiousness: Do You Believe It?
Obviously, conscientious students are more likely to do their homework. Researchers in Germany have found initial reasons to believe that doing homework improves conscientiousness. We can reasonably hope that homework benefits students beyond the learning its helps consolidate. Continue reading

No Homework in the Orchard
The Washington Post reports on [edit] Orchard School in South Burlington, VT, [a PK-5 school in Orchard, VT] which no longer assigns homework. Instead — and this is a crucial “instead” — it does urge students and families to read

The Grade-School Homework Debate
A nicely balanced and well-informed article by Melinda Wenner Moyer.